Installing Bearing Spool in Lower Unit

[kabona]

hi all

i had to do some skeg welding and now i am trying to reinstall my bearing spool in my lower unit.

i used a puller to get it out and im having a hard time getting it back in. i am assuming i have to push it back in as hard as the puller pulled it out.



any tips?

also should i be putting any type of grease or anything on the o-rings on the spool before reinstalling

anything else i might be forgetting?

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Installing Bearing Spool in Lower Unit

Look at the dirt and crap on that spool. Hopefully the photos are from before you cleaned it. Remove the O rings and clean the grooves then reinstall the O rings and grease them so hopefully the spool comes out easier next time.

I can't tell from the first photo but if you didn't do it, grease the half circle clips to hold them in the groove. Keep the prop shaft vertical when you push in the spool--you may need to hammer LIGHTLY. If the hammering moves the half circle clips out of the groove, It is possible to lose the whole prop, spool, propshaft, reverse gear, bearing, carrier, and dog clutch. Those clips are what holds the whole assembly in the gearcase. They should be squeezed between the bearing carrier and the beveled edge on the spool.

Also, there is no right or wrong in position of the spool. it is easier to align it when the bolt holes on the carrier (shown in photo 1) are vertical and lined up with the skeg and trailing edge of the lower unit. However all the lowers I have seen from the factory have the bolts set so the go across the gearcase. This puts the anode screws vertical and the webs of the spool are not in line with the intake slots.--better intake water flow in theory.